Improvement in percussion-projectiles



A. MCBURTH.

Shell. No. 13,469. Patented Aug 2], 18-55.

m u I Witnesses: /W J4 4 w Inventor: I

UNITED STATES PATENT @EETQE.

AUGUSTUS MOBUR'IH, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN PERCUSSION-PROJECTILES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 3,469, dated August 21,1855.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, AUGUSTUS McBUnTH, of the city of Elizabeth, in thecounty of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and usefulimprovement in the construction of bomb-shells (or missiles) to be usedas implements of war; and I hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to theannexed drawings, lettered to correspond with and made apart of thisspecification.

In order to enable others to use my invention, I will go on todescribe-it.

My invention consists in the construction of a bomb-shell (or missile)that contains all the properties of the cannon-ball, together with amore destructive and certain effect than the bomb-shell.

Figure 1 is a transverse sectional drawing, showing the interior of theshell or fluted cone-shaped missile, showing the dischargingrod, whichpasses in a longitudinal course through the shell, as shown by dottedlines. It also shows the fiat hammerspring a and spiral spring I).

2 is a side view, showing the discharging-rod while holding the hammer 0previous to the point It striking the ship or any other substance.Letter g represents the percussion cap ready to be discharged by thehammer 0 when set free by the collision of the point of thedischarging-rod h with a ship or any other hard substance. (I is aspiral spring that prevents the hammer from striking the cap (or otherfulminating substances which are used to explode gunpowder) previous tothe point of the rod coming in contact with the ship, &c.

Fig. 3 is also a side view, showing the position of the hammer afterhaving discharged the cap. Letter a is the round portion or body of themissile. b b b 1/ are the arms that act as rudders, and have a greattendency to prevent the ball changing its course after leaving the mouthof the cannon.

Figures 1 2 3 represent the flutes having sharp edges to enable them topass more readily through the air.

From the peculiar form or construction of the point of my missile orball, and it being fluted, it has a greater tendency to pass through theair with less resistance and greater impetus than any other ball orbomb-shell ever used.

I am aware that bomb-shells have been constructed after various plans,some having spiral projections or arms in order to give the ball ormissile a rotatory motion. Others have pointed the ball, having a rod topass lengthwise into it (the ball or shell) through the point, andhaving a percussion-cap upon the inner end of this rod, so that when thepoint strikes the ship (or other-body) it drives the rod containing thecap (upon its inner end) against the inner surface of the shell, andthus explodes the missile. Neither of these is either practicable oruseful. Therefore I )Vhat I claim, and desire to secure by LettersPatent of the United States, is

1. The improvement in bomb-shells or missiles having four arms, I) b bb, and eight flutes with sharp edges, 1 2 3, Fig. 3, in the manner andfor the purposes substantially as described.

2. A rod, h, Fig. 2, to pass through the shell in a longitudinal course,for the purpose as above set forth.

3. A hammer with a flat spring attached, together with a spiral spring,at, as substantially shown and described in the foregoing specification.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto sub; scribed my name in thepresence of two witnesses.

AUGUSTUS MOBURTH.

Witnesses:

AroLLos M. ELMER, JAMES I. MOLEAN.

